Malleus Replacement Prosthesis: What It Is and How It Helps

The malleus (the hammer) or ‘mallet’ (the shaped bone in the middle ear) plays a special function in maintaining healthy hearing.

Its job is to help transmit sound from the eardrum to the incus (an anvil-shaped bone also in the middle ear) to keep sound messages moving along their way.

Some people are born with problems related to their malleus bone, and in other cases, the bone may be removed during ear surgery.

However, if the malleus is gone or deformed, surgeons may have problems using special prosthetic devices in the middle ear. This happens because the malleus can help keep prosthetics stable.

A Promising Solution

In France, surgeons developed what could be a very promising solution: the Malleus Replacement Prosthesis (MRP). The MRP is a malleus-like titanium device, implanted beneath the eardrum at any part of the external ear canal.

The MRP is secured with a special hook-and-wire system. A variety of prosthetic devices can then be added to the ear with more stability.

Unfortunately, the MRP is currently not approved by the Food and Drug Association (FDA). This means it is not available within the U.S.

Malleus Replacement Prosthesis

If approved, the MRP could potentially be helpful for many types of people with malleus issues. Although titanium prosthetic devices haven’t been widely used in ear surgery, they have shown promising results for being accepted by the body.

Our own Dr. Neil M. Sperling helped report the initial MRP results, so our expert team is familiar with this new technology and the potential impact it could have on people’s lives. If you have questions about prosthetics for the ear, we’re here to try our very best to help.

Just to note, we have inquired about an estimated release date for the United States. However, it is not easy to predict when new technologies will become available in the United States, because the FDA’s review times can vary.

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